I don’t know how they’re just getting around to this but EA has officially (lol) announced SW:TOR, in a Press Release – dated yesterday.

Read!

Yeah, so…like…MONTHS AGO!

Actually, this is the official PR for the launch of the game. Read on if you’re interested in like…numbers and stuff.

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec 07, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) — After successfully concluding one of the largest-ever Beta tests for an MMO, BioWare(TM), a Label of Electronic Arts ERTS +0.56% , is now making final preparations for one of the biggest entertainment launches of the year as Star Wars(TM): The Old Republic(TM) reaches stores on December 20, 2011 in North America and on December 15th in Europe. BioWare also revealed today that Early Game Access for players who pre-order the game will begin on December 13, 2011 at 6:00 AM CST, giving some players as much as a seven-day head start to their personal Star Wars(TM) saga. To participate in the Early Game Access program, customers must pre-order any version of Star Wars: The Old Republic and redeem their code** at www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com/preorder before the official launch of the game. Pre-orders are still available in limited supplies at most participating retailers and via Origin.com.

Die-hard MMO gamers and passionate Star Wars fans worldwide are gearing up for the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic. During the weekend of November 25 — November 28, 2011, over 725,000 unique gamers participated in a highly successful Beta test for the game, logging in over 9 million hours of gameplay. With two weeks to go until launch, more than 78,000 guilds have participated in the Pre-Launch Guild Program and over 2.4 million players are registered on the game’s official web site www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com . Critics around the world are equally excited, as Game Informer has proclaimed that “The Old Republic is poised to reshape the MMO landscape,” and MSNBC has said that “Star Wars: The Old Republic is looking strong and the attention to story is paying off in a big way.”

“Star Wars: The Old Republic is a go for launch on December 20,” said Dr. Greg Zeschuk, Co-Founder of BioWare and General Manager of the BioWare label’s MMO Business Unit. “We are extremely humbled by the surge of players who have joined us on this journey and participated in the Beta Weekend. Their participation has given us the opportunity to stress test the game and allowed us to tune the experience, ensuring that we deliver the smoothest possible MMO launch later this month.”

Set thousands of years before the classic films, Star Wars: The Old Republic is a story-driven, massively multiplayer online game challenging players with epic quests, featuring dynamic combat across iconic worlds in the Star Wars galaxy such as Tatooine, Alderaan, Hoth and more. Each of the game’s eight primary classes will enjoy their own unique storyline, all of which are fully voiced by a huge cast of actors and features a sweeping musical score.

Included with the purchase of every copy of Star Wars: The Old Republic is 30 days of access to the game, after which players can continue to play through subscribing*** at either $14.99 per month, $41.97 for 3 months ($13.99 per month), or $77.94 for six months ($12.99 per month). For more information on Star Wars: The Old Republic, please visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com , follow the game on Twitter at http://twitter.com/swtor or “Like” Star Wars: The Old Republic on Facebook at http://facebook.com/starwarstheoldrepublic .

* Conditions and restrictions apply. Early Game Access may be up to 7 days. The length of your Early Game Access depends on the date and order in which you redeemed your Pre-Order Code. See www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com/preorder for details.

** Codes are redeemable at www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com/preorder . Pre-order quantities are limited and Early Game Access will be granted during the Early Game Access period in the order pre-orders are redeemed.

*** Subscription pricing in the United Kingdom will be GBP 8.99 per month, GBP 25.17 for three months (GBP 8.39 per month) or GBP 46.14 for six months (GBP 7.69 per month). Subscription pricing in Europe will be EUR12.99 per month, EUR35.97 for three months (EUR11.99 per month) or EUR65.94 for six months (EUR10.99 per month).

About LucasArts

Founded in 1982 by filmmaker George Lucas, LucasArts is a leading publisher and developer of interactive entertainment. With development facilities in San Francisco and Singapore, LucasArts leverages the global skills, technology and resources of the Lucasfilm family of companies — including visual effects leader Industrial Light & Magic, Lucasfilm Animation and Skywalker Sound — in addition to strategic partnerships with best-in-class external partners, to further the boundaries of game development. LucasArts is dedicated to delivering deeply immersive, visually spectacular and engaging experiences that inspire and amaze generations.

About BioWare

The BioWare Label is a division of EA which crafts high quality multiplatform role-playing, MMO and strategy games, focused on emotionally engaging, rich stories with unforgettable characters and vast worlds to discover. Since 1995, BioWare has created some of the world’s most critically acclaimed titles and franchises, including Baldur’s Gate(TM), Neverwinter Nights(TM), Star Wars(R): Knights of the Old Republic(TM), Jade Empire(TM), Mass Effect(TM) and Dragon Age(TM). BioWare currently operates in eight locations across the world, including Edmonton (Alberta, Canada), Montreal (Quebec, Canada), Austin (Texas), Fairfax (Virginia), San Francisco (California), Los Angeles (California), Sacramento (California) and Galway (Ireland).

In 2008, BioWare was acquired by Electronic Arts, a leading global interactive entertainment publisher. In 2011 EA created the BioWare Label, alongside EA Games, EA SPORTS(TM) and EA Play. For more information on BioWare, visit www.bioware.com , or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bioware . To join the millions of fans already registered with the BioWare community, go to http://social.bioware.com .

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts ERTS +0.56% is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company’s game franchises are offered as both packaged goods products and online services delivered through Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones and tablets. EA has more than 100 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal 2011, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.6 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster franchises such as The Sims(TM), Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed(TM), Battlefield, and Mass Effect(TM). More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com .

LucasArts, the LucasArts logo, STAR WARS and related properties are trademarks in the United States and/or in other countries of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. (C) 2011 Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. or Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. BioWare and the BioWare logo are trademarks of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. EA and the EA logo are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.